McNamara Warms up for Osana Champion Bid On a day that they have so often excelled, the Pond House team got the Paddy Power Imperial Cup programme off to the ideal start with victory in the Grade 3 EBF final with handicap first-timer Big Eared Fran, who overcame a less than fluent leap at the last to win by three-quarters of a length from Bakbenscher. Going off a 13/2 chance, the grey, who had his first start for David Pipe in last year's Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, was raced in mid-division, with eventual third, What A Buzz, dictating a steady early pace. Sporting the silks that will be carried in Tuesday's Champion Hurdle by Osana, rider Andrew McNamara, having his first spin for the Pipe team, sat tight when Big Eared Fran stuttered into the last, jumping to the right. Bakbenscher, the 6-1 joint-second market-choice, was held up throughout before struggling for space slightly in the closing stages, holding on by a head from What A Buzz. Quartz De Thaix, sent off the 5-1 favourite, never threatened. Pipe said: "He has performed well in decent soft ground novice hurdles and we just thought this was a better race for him, with a step up in trip. "He's in a few races at Cheltenham so we will see. He's in my Dad's race, the County, the Coral Cup, but he won't get in all those." Race sponsor Paddy Power has consequently cut him to 5-1 favouritism for Friday's Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
